Throwback Thursday: ‘Bad to the Bone’ Jay Buhner

Good Morning Throwback Thursday. It’s time we get this party started, turn up the volume, and blast some “Bad to the Bone.”

Who better to get the audience pumped up, then Jay Buhner.  Nicknamed ‘The Bone,” Buhner was our power hitting right fielder with a canon for an arm.

He had a talent for motivating everyone on the team, and had a ton of fun doing it.

Nothing was better than hearing that song play when Jay approached home plate. The crowd could be in a run lacking dismal depression, but when Jay Buhner stepped up to hit, fans went nuts.

Only two things could happen from Jay’s at-bats. He would either have a massive strike out, or a monster homerun.

Buhner never hit over .280 BA for his career, but that guy could mash a long homerun.

It’s always fun to talk about Jay’s power hitting comedic performances, but many forget he had a canon for an arm.

Jay Buhner arguably had the best arm, out of all right fielders who played the game during his era. Yes, his arm was even better than Ichiro Suzuki.

I still remember one of Buhner’s greatest displays of his rocket arm. Let me create the stage for your memory banks.

Back in the Kingdome days, the bullpen was in foul territory. Relief pitchers would warm up just off the foul line, in the play, with actual mounds and benches that fielders had to maneuver around when a ball was hit down the line.

On this day, Fernando Vina was rounding 2^nd base when Buhner was trying to fish a ball out of the bullpen.

Once Buhner dodged the bullpen mound and got the ball in his hand, Vina was already half way to 3^rd base, running at full speed.

Jay threw a bullet, a rocket even, on a straight line to third base beating Vina by a step.

Vina laid on the bag for a good seven seconds with his head down, amazed that he was just thrown out. The crowd went crazy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfhx0N21dz0

Buhner was also known for having a big mouthful of chewing tobacco.

Every right fielder in baseball knew where Jay stood in the outfield, because the Astroturf in the Kingdome was stained dark brown as his permanent spit cup.

Yes, that sounds gross. But hey; it was the 90’s and he was our player.

Buhner ended up hitting cleanup behind Ken Griffey Jr and Edgar Martinez his entire career.

Protecting them each at-bat and driving them in with his extra base hits.

Jay’s best year came in 1996, where he finished with a .276 BA, 44 HR, and 138 RBI. Still tops as one of the most productive offensive years in Mariners history.

Jay Buhner finished his career with a .254 BA, 310 HR, and 965 RBI. He was entered into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame in 2004.

He still lives in WA State and you can still find him advertising on his fun truck commercials. Buhner will always be a Seattle icon.

Our city loves him, and it is very apparent the feeling is mutual.